Tension and Paranoia: Attack on Azerbaijani Embassy in Iran
On January 27th, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Iran was subjected to a gun attack by an Iranian national, resulting in the death of the embassy's security chief and the injury of two others. Azerbaijan promptly condemned the attack, with President Ilham Aliyev referring to it as a "terrorist attack" and an "unacceptable" act against their diplomatic mission in Iran in a statement on Twitter. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister reiterated this point, branding the attack an "anti-Azerbaijani campaign" and demanding the immediate evacuation of embassy staff and their families. The Iranian response to the attack claimed that the attacker had "personal motives" and was frustrated with the embassy's failure to respond to his multiple queries regarding his missing wife, who had visited the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran. Calls for an investigation into the situation were answered, and the suspect has been arrested.
The attack has already escalated tensions between the two countries, which share a historically strained relationship. Iran's vocal support for Armenia in the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has added to the mounting tension. Geopolitical tensions have continued to foster the deterioration of the Irani-Azerbaijani relationship. In October 2022, Iran launched its "Mighty Iran" military drills, placing these exercises right on the border with Azerbaijan. This was in response to Azerbaijan's plans to create a new transportation link between Baku and Kars in Türkiye. This transportation corridor will run close to the Iranian border and through the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. With the all-clear to go ahead with the construction of the route, Iran has felt immense threat from Azerbaijan, as this route blocks their direct access to Armenia and will further isolate their access to the South Caucasus region. In an attempt to mend the Iran-Azerbaijan relationship, a phone call took place in December 2022 between the Iranian foreign minister and Azerbaijan’s foreign minister, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a good relationship with Azerbaijan for their foreign policy goals. However, it seems that the attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran will continue to raise tensions and make the rebuilding of this relationship harder than ever.